Rwanda: Kigali Hails Dar Port's Contribution to Its Economy

 By Edward Qorro in Arusha

RWANDA has hailed the contribution of the Port of Dar es Salaam to its growing economy.

The land linked East African nation has over the years seen more than 80 per cent of its exports and imports passing through the seaport which handles over 90 per cent of Tanzania's cargo traffic.

Fielding questions from reporters here yesterday, Rwanda's Ambassador to Tanzania, Major General Charles Karamba said the Port of Dar es Salaam plays a significant role in Kigali's economy.

According to Major General Karamba, Rwanda continues to depend on the seaport for its imports and exports.

"It is a very important point for Rwanda and I've been routinely meeting senior port officials with a view of scaling up the use of the port," asserted the envoy after he paid the East African Business Council (EABC) a courtesy call.

Rwanda uses the Port of Dar es Salaam for much of her inbound and outbound cargo, through what is commonly known as the Central Corridor.

Rwanda remains the leading country within the East African Community capitalising on the presence of the Dar es Salaam Port.

It boasts of about one million tonnes of cargo recorded at the port per year, according to Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) figures.

Burundi depends on the port for 99.2 per cent of its international cargo while the figure for Rwanda is 86 per cent, comprising both imports and exports.

It is estimated that about 90 per cent of Tanzania's international trade transactions depend on Dar port.

Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern DR Congo are the target destinations for cargo offloaded at the principal port.

In 2018, Tanzania and Rwanda agreed on joint construction of a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Isaka (northwestern Tanzania) to Kigali, a move which will facilitate movement of goods between the East African neighbours.

Earlier, EABC Executive Director John Bosco Kalisa informed the envoy that the regional apex body of Private Sector associations and corporates had established a Technical Working Group (TWG) which is meant to spearhead initiatives that will benefit the private sector in East Africa.

TWG will also be crucial in providing a platform for addressing concerns raised by the business community in the region.

"We've had support and vision from our Heads of State and we are very optimistic that it will address challenges that impede trade within the EAC," he explained.